Ghallu Jats

In this post, I will look at the Ghallu tribe of the Jats. They are found mainly in south Punjab and speak the Seraiki language.

Origin

The Ghallu are another tribe of Jat status, and claim descent from Ghallu, a Hindu Rajput, who was converted to Islam, by the famous Sufi saint Makhdum Jahanian of Uch. The Ghallus are described by H. A Rose as follows:

a tribe found in the south-west corner of the Multan district since the Ain-i-Akbari was compiled. It is also numerous in the kardari (district) of Bahawalpur and Ahmadpur of Bahawalpur State, as especially in the peshkari of Uch. Its eponym was a Hindu Rath (Rajput), converted to Islam by Makhdum Jahanian. From his seven sons sprang as many septs, viz., the Hanbirpotre, Ghanunpotre, Dipal, Jhanbu, Kurpal, Kanji and Gujj. The Ghallu in Bahawalpur are both land- owners and cultivators and their tenants and servants are the Ghulams, once their slaves, a small tribe of unknown origin.

While the author of the Bahawalpur Gazetteer adds the following:

Thatta Ghalluan, a village in the tehsil of Shujabad, where many Ghallus live, was founded by this tribe. The following villages in the State belong to the Ghallus:- Bahawalpur Ghalluan, Ali Wahan, Sari Wasti, Bakhkhapur, all in Kardari Ahmadpur, Makhwara, near Uch, Kot Dada Ghalla and Kurpalan, both in Kardari Bahawalpur. The Ghallus are both landowners and agriculturists

According to the author of the Multan Gazetteer, they are the earliest settlers in Lodhran District:

The Ghallus and Channars were in much the same area as they now occupy in the south-west corner of the district.

The Ghallu were largely pastoralist, settled in the villages along the Sutlej river. Thatta Ghaluan is often referred as their first settlement in the region.

Tribal Geneology

Like most Jat tribes of this region, they have a number of traditions as to their origin. For example, there is another tradition where that Ghallu was in fact a nickname of Hari Singh, a Panwar Rajput. However, the most widespread tradition makes their ancestor Ghallu the son of Sansi, the ancestor of the Sansi Jats. Mahrajah Ranjit of Punjab came from the tribe of the Sansi Jats.

According to this tradition, Kahlu, a Warriach Jat, settled in Pindi Bhattian. A descendent of Kahlu left Pindi Bhattian settled among the Sansi of Amritsar. The Sansi are a nomadic tribe, who were sometimes involed in dacoities. Their ancestor married a Sansi, and his son Kaleb became known as a famous dacoit. Kaleb was also known as Sansi, after the Sansi tribe of his mother. According to the Ghallu, Kalu had another son by the name of Ghallu, from whom they descend. They give the following genealogy:

Saroya → Sansi Rai

Sansi Rai → Kallu + Kohawar (ancestor of the Kohawar tribe) + Chutta + Kuwaj

Kallu → Kalwan + Ghaluja + Galwa + Gisra + Gahel + Galwan + Ghallu

Ghallu and is his family settled first in Thatta Ghaluan, near the Chenab river, in what is now Shujabad tehsil. Groups of Ghallu with their cattle moved in the region that this now Lodhran District, living the life of the pastoralist, independent until the rise of the Pathan nawabs of Multan, who ended their independence.

Ghallu Population according to the 1901 Census of India

District	Population
Multan	2,761
Muzaffargarh	1,327
Mianwali	818
Total	4,906

In 1901, almost half the tribe lived in the Lodhran Tehsil of Multan, the remaining in the Alipur Tehsil of Muzaffargarh and Bhakkar tehsil of Mianwali. The Bhakkar Ghallu are migrants from Alipur.

Ghallu Population according to the 1911 Census of India

District / State	Population
Bahawalpur	2,508
Mianwali	1,478
Muzaffargarh	1,327
Multan	1,030
Total	6,343

The 1911 shows the highest concentrations of Ghallu in Bahawalpur state, while they are not counted at all in 1901 census. These contradictory figures do show case the problem with the early British census.

Distribution

The Ghallu are found in the southwest corner of Multan District, extending into Lodhran District, across the river Indus in Muzaffargarh District, and near the town of Ahmadpur East in Rahim Yar Khan District. In addition, a few Ghallu villages are also found in Layyah and Bhakkar districts.

Starting with Muzaffargarh, they are found in Alipur Ghalwan Pani Wala, Sanu Wala, Kaurey Wala Nirali Wala and Bambherwala. In Lodhran District, there villages include Basti Athwal, Kabula, Goth Alamkhanke, Kanuwala, Jandwala, Basti Shakir Khan, Jumma Ghallu, Lal Jabbal, Sharifwali, Kot Dadu Ghallu, Ghallu, Pipli Kanjanke, Aliwahan, Phagwara, Malikpur, Qureshiwala, Suiwala, Pacca Munna, Saadullahpur, Yousufwala, Sabra, Bahadarpur, Thath Ghallwan, Khanwah Ghalwaan, and Tibi Ghalwaan. While in Bhakkar District, there most important village is Mouza Dhingana in Tehsil Mankera. Further south in Layyah District, they are found in Chah Ghilay Wala Mouza Gat Nashaib.

In Bahawalpur District, their villages include Ghallwan, Ismailpur Ghallwan and Baqarpur Ghallwan. In Multan District, Thatta Ghaluan remains a centre of the tribe. Ghallu are also found in Kot Sattar Gharbi in Mandi Bahauddin District.